In the streets of the city of Solingen, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the city’s 650th anniversary was celebrated on Friday evening with all kinds of performances and entertainment at the Festival of Diversity. Around 21:37 the festive atmosphere changed dramatically on the Fronhofplein when a man with a knife started stabbing people. Three people, two men and a woman, were killed. Eight others were injured, five of them seriously.
Someone present told Solingen Daily Newspaper that he was standing near the festival stage when the attack occurred. “And then someone fell over a meter next to me,” he said. The man first thought it was a drunk person. But when he turned around, he saw more people lying on the ground. And several pools of blood, he testified. He himself was unharmed.
Scale
According to the police, it concerns an attack and the man, who has not yet been identified, is said to have acted purposefully. He fled immediately afterwards. The suspect is still being sought on Saturday morning. “But we have no idea where he is. We now have to put all the pieces of the puzzle together,” said the police, who are questioning witnesses and victims in the hope of getting a picture of the man. “We currently assume that it was one person,” said police spokesman Alexander Kresta. “We are not aware of any other persons involved.” The perpetrator’s motive is also not yet clear.
Numerous personnel and a helicopter are deployed in the manhunt. Authorities are asking residents of Solingen to avoid the city center. Large parts of the city have been cordoned off.
Philipp Müller, one of the co-organizers, explained on stage that the emergency services were fighting for the lives of several people and urged the visitors not to panic and to leave the square calmly. “People are shocked but have left the square calmly,” Müller told German media.
Festival
The incident took place at Fronhof, a market place in the centre of Solingen, where a stage had been set up and live music was being played. Solingen is celebrating its 650th anniversary this weekend with a three-day Diversity Festival. A total of 80,000 visitors were expected on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The festival has since been cancelled.
Mayor Tim Kurzbach responded on social media on Friday evening. “Tonight we are all shocked and saddened in Solingen. We all wanted to celebrate the birthday of our city together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured. It breaks my heart that an attack has been carried out on our city. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for everyone who is still fighting for their lives,” he wrote.
Kurzbach went on to thank the rescue and security services. He expressed his condolences to those who witnessed the crime. “These must have been terrible images.